Wireless communication networks typically include wireless access systems with equipment such as wireless access, control, and routing nodes that provide wireless communication services for wireless communication devices. A typical wireless communication network includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between wireless communication devices, service providers, and other end user devices. These user communications typically include voice calls, data exchanges, web pages, streaming media, or text messages, among other communication services.
In some Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication systems, cells of LTE access nodes may broadcast public land mobile network (PLMN) signals. These signals include information about the network that is broadcasting the signals, as well as information about the carrier or channels available within the network. As the PLMN signals are broadcast, wireless communication devices identify the signals, and compare the signals to a local data structure on the device to determine the appropriate network to join. However, although the PLMNs may assist in notifying devices of the identity of a network and the corresponding channels of the network, it becomes difficult for the service provider to preserve network resources or channels for specific network conditions.
Overview
The technology disclosed herein enhances the management of signaling resources of a wireless provider network using hidden public land mobile network (PLMN) signals. In one implementation, a method of operating a Long Term Evolution (LTE) access node for a wireless service provider to provide selective channels to wireless communication devices includes transmitting a plurality of PLMNs, wherein the plurality of PLMNs comprise a first subset of PLMNs identifiable by the wireless communication devices and a second subset of PLMNs unidentifiable by the wireless communication devices. The method further provides communicating first signals with the wireless communication devices using channels associated with the first subset of PLMNs, and identifying a transition condition for a subset of the wireless communication devices based on the first signals. The method also includes, in response to the transition condition, identifying a physical cell identifier (PCI) associated with a PLMN in the second subset of PLMNs, and communicating a notification with the PCI to the subset of the wireless communication devices, wherein the notification directs the subset of the wireless communication devices to use second channels associated with the identified PLMN.